Electromedical apparatus.



' PATENTED- FEB. 10, 1903. f

' G. S. RIDER.

ELEGTROMEDIGAL APPARATUS.

Arl monxon nun APB. 17, 1902.

' 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

INVENTOR PATENTED FEB. 10, 1903.

G. s. RIDER. ELBGTROMEDIGAL APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED APB. 1'! 1902 2SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' INVENTOR UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GRANVILLE s. RIDER, oENEw YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoR TO HERBERT E. RIDER, OFNEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTROMEDICAL APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,483, dated February10, 1903.

Application filed April 17, 1902. Serial No. 103,319. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GRANVILLE S. RIDER, a citizen of the United States,residing in the borough of Manhattan, in the city of'New York, county ofNew York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electromedical Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to electromedical apparatus, and has for itsobjects to improve the construction and increase the effectiveness ofsuch devices.

According to my invention I provide for the action of an electriccurrent with periodic reversals of direction and also provide incombination therewith an earth connection for the body.

I will now describe the construction of electromedical apparatusembodying my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings and willthereafter pointout my invention in claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective exterior view of the complete apparatus. Fig.2 is a transverse vertical section of the same on the line 2 2, Fig. 3.Fig. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus with the cover removed. Fig. 4 isa diagrammatic view of the electric connections, showing the commutatorin development.

The electrodes at and b are located at the ends of conducting-wires cand cl,respectively, and these conducting-wires extend from a box orcase 9, in which are located the various operative devices. The box orcase e is shown as provided with a hinged lid or cover f, and upon theupper piece or base g of the body of the box are located thebinding-posts i and h, to which the conducting-wires c and d arerespectively connected, and these binding-posts are connected, throughintermediate devices to be hereinafter described, to a source ofelectric current of low electromotive force, shown as an electricbattery of four cells 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the type denominated as drybatteries. I have found in practice that the direct current from such abattery, although of low electromotive force, has effective curativeaction upon the human body when employed in accordance with myinvention.

The electrodes aa-nd b are shown in the drawings in the form of belts orbands, each provided at one end with a buckle and at the other end witha suitable tab, and these belts or bands are adapted to be buckled upona human wrist or ankle or other suitable part of the body, and each beltor band is shown as provided on its surface with circular and convexmetallic platesj, electrically connected together and to theconducting-wires. It is of course evident that various forms ofelectrodes may be employed; but it is usually desirable that theseelectrodes should be capable of attachment to the body, as in the use ofmy apparatus the electrodes are usually allowed to remain in contactwith the body for periods of several hours.

An earth connection is provided to connect the patient with the earth atthe same time that the current from the battery is caused to flowthrough the body of the patient, such earth connection being madethrough the conducting-Wire 70, shown as provided with a clip Zat itsends, such clip being adapted to be sprung over a gas-pipe or otherdevice adapted to form a ground connection. The conducting-wire k isheld in the binding-post m on the base g of the box or case andconnected in the circuit, as will be hereinafter described, so that whenthe electrodes at and b are in contact with the body of a patient thedevices just described complete a connection from thebody of the patientto the earth, whereby the patient is subjected to an electric currentfrom the battery and at the same time connected to the earth, so that anequal electric potential between the body of the patient and the earthwill be at all times maintained.

For the purpose of periodically reversing the direction of the currentpassing through the body of the patient I provide automatic means,which, as shown, comprises a clock- 5 work located in a casing n,furnishing the motive power to a commutator 0 and the commutatorreversing the current at intervals determined by the speed of itsrevolution. The commutator o is shown as divided into four cylindricalsections, the end sections comprising continuous cylindrical rings 29and g, respectively, and the medial sections comprisingsemicircularly-divided rings r r and s s, respectively.Oommutator-brushes t, u, c, and w coact with these plates.

The circuit connections are completely shown in Fig. 4:. The number ofcells of battery at any time in operation is determined by the switch00, which when in contact with the stop 5 connects one cell 1, when incontact with the stop 6 connects two cells 1 and 2, when in contact withstop 7 connects three cells 1, 2, and 3, and when in contact with stop 4connects all four cells 1, 2, 3, and. 4 in series with the other partsof the apparatus. Assuming this switch m to be in contact with the stop8 and the commutator to be in the position shown in Fig. 4, the currentwill fiowin series through the cells 1, 2, 3, and at and by wire 9 tostop 8, through switch 50, wire 10, commutator-brush 6, plate 27, wire11, plate 1-, brush u, wire 12, post 71, conductor d, electrode 1), bodyof patient, electrode a, conductor 0, post 1', wire 1 3,commutator-brush 1), plate 5, wire 14:, plate q, brush to, and wire 15back to battery. When the commutator rotates, so as to bring the plates1" and .9 into contact with the brushes u and c, the current will flowfrom the plate 13 by wire 15 to the plate 8, brush 1) and wire 13 topost 2', and by conductor 0 and electrode a to the body of the patient,and will pass through the body of the patient in a direction the reverseof that formerly described, and then by electrode 17, conductor 61, posth, wire 12, brush to, plate wire-l6, plate q, brush w, and wire 14 backto battery. The earth connection is from the binding-post h or wire 12through wire 17 to post an and by conductor 7c and clip Z to the earth.

I provide means for indicating the strength of the current flowingthrough the conductors above described, thereby showing whether or notthe battery is active and also indicating the resistance of the circuit,such indicator comprising a magnetic needle (not shown) in thecompass-case y, a magnetic bar 21 to hold the needle in a normalposition, and a deflecting-coil 22, connected by wires 23, 24, 25, and17, in a branch circuit from the post h to the post i, such circuitincluding a normally open contact device, shown as a push-button 2'.

It is evident that various modifications may be made in the constructionshown and above particularly described within the spirit and scope of myinvention.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an electromedical apparatus, the combination of a'source ofelectric current of low electromotive force, electrodes connectedthereto and adapted to make contact With a body,a periodically-operatedcurrentreverser interposed in the circuit between the electrodes andsource of electric current, and means for maintaining an earthconnection from said body.

2. In an electromedical apparatus, the combination of a source ofelectric current of low electromotive force, electrodes connectedthereto and adapted to make contact with a body,a periodically-operatedcurrent-reverser interposed in the circuit between the electrodes andsource of electric current, and an earth connection joined to one ofsaid conductors between the electrodes and currentreversing means.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

GRANVILLE S. RIDER.

Witnesses:

JOHN H. BARNES, HERBERT H. GIBBS.

